Junction or terminal block.



1,149,599. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

' gif/award 6:71a# f f5/@J uw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE.

HOWARD SMALL, OF WYNCOTE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VULCAN MOTOR DEVICES COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIAJ PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

JUNCTION OR TERMINAL BLOCK.

macteo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A110'. 10, 1915.

To all tlf/1on1, it may concer/1.'

Be it known that I, Hownni SMALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wyncote, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. certain new and useful Junction or rTerminal Block, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, compact and elli` cient device by means of which a number of conductors can be connected up and disconnected conveniently, rapidly and without possibility of mistake.

The invention will be claimed at the end hereof but will be first described in connection with the embodiment of it chosen for .illustration in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which- Figure l, is an edge view,'partlv in sec-.

tion.v Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3, is a sectional view of a socket member detached. Fig. l, is a sectional view of a plug melnber, and Fig. is a detached view of a socket and plug member assembled.

In the drawings l, is an externally flanged split socket member. The flange is shown at 2, and the splits are shown at 3.

l, is ay plug member adapted for insertion into and removal from thc socket member l.

lach of these members l and 4:, is arranged for cranmction with a wire (L. As shown each .member is cupped or countersunk for this un' iose. rl`here mav be an i number of these complemcntal socket and plug members. In the present instance eight are shown but the number is not material. rfhey are all alike except as to size and in that respect they dill'er so that in assembling the parts the fit of the plugs in the sockets is a guide to corrcct assemblage. For example, the plug .shown in Fig. l, will correctly lit only the socket shown in Fig. and by observing this lit it necessarily follows that the parts of wire u, are connected together. lilxternally certain of Vthe sockets are larger than the others. l"or example, those at the right in Fig. L). 'are larger than those at the left and this constitutes a means for identifying and distinguishing sets of conductors, for in stance, positive from negative.

5, are insulating blocks and they are all duplicates of each other. llach block iS lgroovcd crosswisc as at (3, for the accommodation of the socket members and is also grooved lengthwise as at 7, for the accommodation of the flanges 2. One of the grooves (i, the one at the right in Fig. 2, is larger than the other so as to accommodate the socket members of large and small external diameter. The flanges 2, and the grooves prevent endwise movement of the socketpieces. rlhe blocks 5, have centrally arranged holes in them and are strung on a bolt S, between end pieces Sl, so that when the nut 10. is tightened or loosened the various blocks are clamped together or are released. .Each end piece is fitted with a large and with a small rib which take into the grooves l, of the end blocks to clamp in line with the sockets.

By loosening the nut l0, the split socket members free their plug members so that any one of them can be readily removed and replaced. whereupon by the single operation of tightening` the nut l0, the blocks are drawn together and cause the split socket members to tightly clamp and retain their plug members. By the use of the described apparatus each of the complemental socket and plug members is insulated from all the rest. The number of complemental socket and plugmembers can be easily increased or diminished by the addition or removal of one or more insulating blocks and it is practically impossible for even those unskilled in th) art to mix or confuse the conductors in disconnecting and connecting.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit of the invention which is not limited in respect to those matters nor further than the prior state of the art may require.

What I claim is:

l. A junction or terminal block comprising the combii'iation of complemental externally ribbcd split socket members and plug members of different sizes and arranged in groups, crosswise and lengthwise grooved insulating blocks between said groups, end pieces or blocks, and a bolt and nut ou which the blocks and end pieces are strung and by means of which all the plug members can bc clamped and unclamped in their respective sockets.

2. A junction or terminal block comprising the combination of complemental externally ribbed split socket members and plug members of dierent sizes and arranged in groups, crosswise and lengthwise grooved insulating blocks between lsaid groups, and a bolt and nut on which the blocks are strung and by means of which all the plug meming theeombination of complemental plug members and externally flanged 4split socket members of which some have larger external dimensions than the others and of which all have different internal dimensions,`insulat ing blocks grooved crosswise and lengthwise to accommodate socket membersof ditfer- `ent external'dimensions, end plates itted to fit crosswise grooves inthe end blocks, and

a bolt and nut on which the blocks and plates are strung and by which the plug members are clamped and unclamped.

5. A junction or terminal block comprising the combination of a plurality of socketand-plug members, insulating blocks between which the socket-and-plug members are arranged, and a single bolt for clamping and unclamping all said parts.

6. A junction or terminal block comprising the combination of a plurality of socketand-plug members of different sizes, insulating blocks between which the socket-andplug members are arranged, and a single bolt for clamping and unclamping all said parts.

7. A junction or terminal block comprising the combination of a plurality of socket- 4 and-plug members, .insulating blocks between which the socket-and-plug members are arranged, end pieces with 4projections bearing upon the blocks in line with the socket-and-plug members, and a single bolt for clamping and unclamping all said parts. In testimony whereof I' have hereunto signed my name. l HOWARD SMALL. Vitnesses:

CLIFFORD'K. CAssEL, FRANK E. FRENCH. 

